Check feed mechanism



July 21,1936.v c. MUZZO ET AL CHECK FEED MECHANISM Filed July 5, 1934 Patented July 21, 1936 1 UNITED sm'rs ATNT OFFIQE 2,048,402 CHECK FEED MECHANISM Ross C. Muzzo and Albert Coci Toledo, Ohio Application July 5, 1934, Serial No. 733,811

3 Claims. (oi.19 9s) This invention relates to check supply and feed mechanism, especially for vending machines.

This invention has utility in check acceptance and display features for safeguarding against spurious checks or coins.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front view of an embodiment-of the invention as a check feed for coins at a telephone pay station; V

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section on the line II-II, Fig. 1, parts being broken away; 7

Fig. 3 is a view from the left of the mechanism in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view from the front or right of Fig. 2, with the window section removed;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line V-V, Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is' a view of a pull type of actuator instead of the push type of Fig. 2.

Receiver l for acceptable checks or coins has mounted thereon telephone pay station cabinet 2, having rejected coin or check way 3. There is shown transmitter 4, dial call device 5, and re; ceiver 6. Mounted on this station cabinet 2 is feed device section I with bracket 8 thereover having disk ports 9, l0, II, respectively for coins of twenty-five cents, ten cents, and five cents denomination. From each of these ports there is way l2 from the bracket 8 registering with port I3 in the section 1. I

From this port l3 there depends at anangle to the vertical, chute l4 having rear portion I5 with side cheeks I6, [1. Front plate portion l8, adjacent the port I3, has slot l9 extending downward therefrom with widening portion 20 extending to a continuation of said slot between parallel overhanging side portions 2|. This plate I8 is anchored to the chute portion rear side l5 by bolts 22 at its upper portion and by bolts 23 at its lower portion. These bolts 23 have spring washers 24 so that notwithstanding the holding action of the bolts 22 on the yieldable material of the plate l8, the overhang portions 2| may yield relatively to the chute section I4 and thus allow a warped or bent coin or check to pass, if such be of the diameter approved by the port in the bracket 8 and the thickness approvedby the way I 2.

An initial coin introduced into the disk ports and passing through the way I2 and port l3 into the chute I4, is stopped by holding means or plunger 25 extending into one side of the chute and which plunger is yieldable against the resistance of leaf spring 26. The coin 21 at the entrance to the genuine check way, is frictionally held, and as a succeeding coin is deposited, if

genuine for dimension it is held in the way l4 thereover. However,'a coin 28 of less than the genuine dimension is directed by the passage downwardly and rearwardly by engagement with the sides of the slot l9 to pass through opening 5 i 29 into bypassing way 30 between the chute l5 and chute portion 3!. This bypass may be connected to the way 3 or terminate in the machine. With, the coin or check 21 lodged in the way l4 and frictionally held by the movable section 25, such is visible through the widening 2!! so that window 32 exposes the coin to view. This window32 is a transparency in front 33 of this section 1. Through thisfront 33 is a port 34, locating push terminus 35of plunger 36. This plunger 36 extending through the port 34 into the section I has pivotal connection 31 therein with one end of lever arm 38 having fulcrum pivot bearing 39 with bracket 49, the bracket 40 being mounted by screws 4| on inner housing 42 of this section 1. This lever, angularly from the arm 38, has arm 43 to which is connected tension helical spring 44, normally tending to thrust the manual actuator 35 outward away from the section I. This arm 43 additionally has pivotal connection 45 with link 46 extending to pivotal connection 4'! with lever 48 having fulcrum 43 fixed in the bracket 4!]. This lever 48 has free end or claw terminus 5!! retracting clearof the port l3 as the spring 44 is eifective. Actuation of the plunger 36 in opposition to the spring 44 swings the lever 48 on its fulcrum 49 so that the claw terminus 50 enters the chute i4 and engages the coin above the coin held by the movable plunger 25 and causes coin thereover to move the coin at the plunger 25 past such yieldable holding and locate. a succeedingcoin for view at the window 32. The coin or check which is thus forced past the plunger 25, if not too badly mutilated freely slides down the chute 14 into the cabinet 2. As a mutilated coin may be used which might be warped or out-ofplane, the thrusting action is effective on a succeeding coin to cause the chute front section l8 to yield at the screw 23 and allow the coin to pass. This avoids servicing trouble as the device thus clears itself for a legitimate or genuine coin or check. The coin passing from the feed section 1 into the cabinet 2 may give the signal to the central station operator as to its identity in the usual manner, which is now by ringing one toned chime for the twenty-five cent coin, a twice ringing of a bell for a ten cent coin, and a once ringing of the bell for a five cent coin. As the operator has thrust the plunger 36 to shift the coin into effective position for operating this machine, release of the plunger 36 results at once in a reset thereof by the spring 44 and. the claw 50 is clear for engaging a, succeeding coin when the machine is re-operated.

, tion and locates the element 5| for re-operation.

The check feed device herein disclosed is compact for ready attachment to check controlled apparatus, of the vending type. The disk insert ports provide maximum diameter limits for the check. The drop way l2 therefrom determines maximum thickness. The bypass way 30 clears the device due to its inclined setting for under size checks or coins. Regular size or genuine coins are directed into the exposed position so that merchant or attendant may casually verify that checks supplied are not spurious as the last insert is thus left exposed. As there may be coin mutilated condition which might otherwise jamb the apparatus, relief therefor is provided herein by the springs 24. There is thus a simple feed device for checks, substantial in its construction against tampering. In use this is open for visible verification of the character of checks in transit, with means to reject ones unacceptacle and care for acceptable and genuine coins. is thus an avoidance of upkeep trouble which might otherwise necessitate out of service time for the equipment and expense of repairman attention, if not really avoidance of rupturing a portion of the machine.

What is claimed and it is desired to secure by Letters Patent is: V

1. A fraud preventing device comprising a casing having a window, an inclined coin chute in said casing provided with an opening in its front wall in alinement with said window, friction means in said chute adjacent said opening for engaging the edge of an inserted coin and supporting the coin in alinement with said opening and window, said coin serving as a support for a second inserted coin, the back wall of said chute having a cut out portion for allowing coins of small diameter. to fall out of the chute, a lever pivoted at one end in said casing behind said chute and having the other end normally retracted from the chute but movable thereinto to engage the top edge of the second coin and thereby force the first inserted coin past said friction means, the second coin then being supported by said friction means, a spring for holding said lever retracted, and means for operating said lever, said means comprising a plunger projecting from the casing below said window and There 7 linkage means connected to the free end of said lever and the end of said plunger within the casing.

2. A fraud preventing device comprising a casing having a window, an inclined coin chute in said casing provided with an opening in its front wall in alinement with said window, friction means in said chute adjacent said opening for engaging the edge of an inserted coin and supporting the coin in alinement with said opening and window, said coin serving as a support for a second inserted coin, the back wall of said chute having a cut out portion, and the front wall having a rearwardly directing portion coacting with the cut out portion of the back wall for allowing coins of small diameter to fall out of the chute, a first lever pivoted at one end in said casing clear of said chute and having the other end normally retracted from the chute but movable thereinto to engage the top edge of the second coin and thereby force the first inserted coin past said friction means, the second coin then being supported by said friction means, a spring for holding said lever retracted, and means for operating said lever, said means comprising a plunger projecting from the casing adjacent said window and pivoted transmission means including a second lever connected to the free end of said first lever and the end of said plunger within the casing.

3. A fraud preventing device comprising a casing having a window, an inclined coin chute in said casing provided with an opening in its front wall in alinement with said window, friction means in said chute adjacent said opening for engaging the edge of an inserted coin and supporting the coin in alinement with said opening and window, said coin serving as a support for a second inserted coin, the back wall of said chute having a cut out portion, and the front wall having a rearwardly directing portion coacting with the cut out portion of the back wall for'allowing coins of small diameter to fall out of the chute, a first lever pivoted at one end in said casing clear of said chute, a second lever pivotally connected to the first lever, a spring connected between the second lever and the casing efiective to hold the other end of the first lever normally retracted from the chute, said first lever being movable thereinto to engage the top edge of the second coin and thereby force the first inserted coin past said friction means, means for operating said first lever, said means comprising a plunger projecting from the casing adjacent said window, and pivotal means connected to the free end of said second lever and the end of said plunger within the casing.

Ross 0. MUZZO. ALBERT COCI. 

